For a duo of Northern California HERO Ride for Life organizers who have seen the cancer research fundraiser grow through their high school years, the fifth annual event at the Tehama County District Fairground arena Saturday was bittersweet.

CHICO — Corning High's Diego Figueroa had a date with the back of the net Thursday as the fifth-seeded Cardinals' boys soccer team shut out the fourth-seeded and host Pleasant Valley Vikings 2-0 to advance to the Northern Section Division I semifinals.

Eleven days after Red Bluff High School student Marysa Nichols, 14, was reported missing, hundreds gathered at Calvary Chapel Red Bluff to honor her memory on a sunny Saturday. Nichols' pastor, Gil DeLaO, officiated the memorial service and invoked the tragedies in Newtown, Conn., and Aurora, Colo., in what he said was a "devastating blow" to Red Bluff not unlike what was felt after the killing of Red Bluff police officer Dave Mobilio 10 years ago.

CHICO -- Call it a classic.
The top-seeded Corning Cardinals boys basketball team's defensive identity and the No. 2 Orland Trojans' free-flowing offense went head to head at Acker Gym in Chico on Saturday and a memorable fourth quarter ended with the Cards edging the Trojans 45-43 to capture their first Northern Section Division IV championship since 2006.

CORNING — It was Corning High's two-headed monster in the post that had the biggest bite Wednesday as the Cardinals' boys basketball team beat the visiting Arcata Tigers 50-42 in the first round of Division IV state playoffs. Corning (28-2) junior forwards Michael Shoemaker and Nick Hoag set the pace early by hogging rebounds and combining for 30 of the Cards' 32 points through three quarters to lead Arcata 32-21.